SEATTLE – Shaun Alexander certainly did his part to put the Seattle Seahawks back on track.

Alexander gained 195 yards rushing on 32 carries and Matt Hasselbeck recovered from a dismal performance last weekend, throwing for 201 yards to lead the Seahawks to a 23-17 win over the Carolina Panthers on Sunday.

The Seahawks (4-3) broke a three-game losing streak, while the Panthers (1-6) lost their fifth straight.

Josh Brown kicked three field goals in the second half, connecting from 27, 45 and 22 yards to give the Seahawks a comfortable cushion. His final kick put Seattle up 23-10 with 5:42 remaining.

This win wasn’t spectacular.

The Seahawks didn’t have a zigzag punt return for a touchdown, nor a chest-thumping, helmet-spinning hit by a defender. But the substance was there in little ways that were missing during Seattle’s skid.

Hasselbeck threw to tight end Itula Mili for a 17-yard gain on third-and-14 in the fourth quarter, and Alexander broke a 38-yard run in the second period and a 44-yarder in the fourth – showing the Seahawks made the plays they needed.

It was just as notable for what didn’t happen. There was no fourth-quarter meltdown like the Seahawks had in a loss to St. Louis three weeks ago. And no comic inefficiency on offense like in last week’s stunning loss at Arizona.

Carolina was driving for a possible late score, but any chance of a rally was dimmed when Jake Delhomme threw an interception straight to Seattle’s Marcus Trufant, who returned it 57 yards.

The injury-riddled Panthers have been competitive each time in their five straight losses, and they didn’t give up in this one, either.

Delhomme threw a beautiful 63-yard strike to Keary Colbert to move the ball to Seattle’s 2-yard line at the 2-minute warning, setting up a 7-yard TD pass to Muhsin Muhammad with 1:39 to play.

That play was reviewed by game officials, with Muhammad awarded the touchdown because he was in the end zone when he made the catch. The ball had been spotted inside the 1 after tacklers pushed him out of the end zone.

It didn’t matter after Trufant recovered the onside kick.

Delhomme finished 19-of-36 for 248 yards with two TDs and one interception. Hasselbeck was 21-of-30 for 201 yards passing with one TD and one interception.

Seahawks coach Mike Holmgren stripped down the playbook this week, trying to simplify things for Hasselbeck and force the ball to Alexander. It worked from the start, with Hasselbeck completing his first nine attempts.

The Seahawks coasted to a 14-0 lead in the second quarter. Hasselbeck threw a 3-yard touchdown pass to Alexander, who added a 4-yard TD run and had 119 yards rushing by halftime.

Things weren’t perfect, though. Hasselbeck, who had four interceptions in last week’s loss at Arizona, was booed when he threw another late in the first half – with Seattle at Carolina’s 7-yard line.

The Panthers had one solid drive in the first half, trailing 14-7 after Delhomme threw a 15-yard TD strike to Muhammad. They made it 14-10 early in the third quarter on John Kasay’s 30-yard field goal.

AP-ES-10-31-04 1920EST